The Mystery
by Flaky2.0
Summary: Four new comers come to the Central Park Zoo, things go well until... Well read to find out, First POM story, but working out all spectrum of stories. Rating will be under T for now, but later chapters will move it up.
1. Chapter 1

The Mystery

By

Flaky2.0

**A/N Okay first fanfic that's not Happy Tree Friends, may or may not be good, but it will progressively get better I can assure that, I'm using four of my OC's from HTF, but a little different, heavy alter of personalities, why well if you know what HTF is you should know, If You have any information that Im missing please do let me know.**

It's a normal bright sunny day in the heat of summer, the wind was slightly blowing hot air all around the area, all the people and their pets, having fun out around the beaches, the animals in the zoo sitting around enjoying some of the heat, while some others are stowing away in the darkness to keep cool, some because they hate the heat, others because if they get too much heat they would get sick easily.

A shadow figure stands in the alley way looking at the zoo from the top of a closed dumpster just emptied out for the day by the local trash company. "Agent Relix's log, time of…" the figure looks at the clock on the bell tower in the front of the Central Park Zoo, the clock shown it was 5:38 "17:38, everything seems quiet, too quiet." The figure then jumped down and walked over to the end of the alley.

The figure stuck its head out and looked down the street to the left and once it was cleared it looked to the right and once it was cleared, the figure made its way across the road and at the gates of the zoo.

"But Skippah, isn't that a bit much, I don't think they could go any longer then ten minutes." The figure heard a British accent voice and jumped up onto the wall and looked around, he saw two penguins, one was shorter then the other, didn't look that old, and another one with a flat head, standing in their habitat on an ice floe. "Private, how many times have I told you, Kowalski and Rico can push their limits. Besides they wanted to go longer then before to try and impress me."

Skipper looked around, just to make sure they haven't resurfaced and heard him say anything, once he sees the coast was clear he looked back to Private and smiled "They always impress me fairly well, they never have to completely out do their limits every time to make me proud that I'm working with them, for us as a unit, they are vital members, and…" before Skipper could finish a tall penguin jumped out of the water and onto the ice floe. "Ah ha, passed by twenty four point three seven five seconds."

Skipper turned his smile into a slightly indifference look and then looked at the tall penguin, "Well Kowalski seems you beat your previous time." Skipper then walked over to him, without even breaking a smile, eyed the tall penguin and then went in for a silent sneak attack, and within seconds Kowalski was down on his back just as another penguin jumped out of the water and landed next to them.

"woo" was yelled from him the figure noticed he had a scar on his beak, Skipper then snuck around beside the slightly taller penguin then himself and went in for another silent attack, but the new penguin that shown up spun around just in time to block the attack, and went in for a counter attack, but missed.

Skipper then jumped back, "Nice job Rico, using your head like that." Rico just laughed and coughed up a stick of dynamite "Ka-boom" Skipper shook his head "Sorry Rico, no celebratory ka-boom since you failed to get in the counter strike." Rico looked down at the ground, "daw" he then cut the burning wick and swallowed the dynamite.

"Seems I have found the penguins, but how can I get in unsuspectingly." The figure looked around and found a sewer grate at the edge of the wall, it went over to the grate and slowly pulled on it to see if it was loose or if he had to work on it to get it loose.

It lifted the grate without a problem and then slowly made its way in until; it decided it was just like a normal zoo animal, it just needed to have the records of an exchange. It put the grate back on and quickly ran in the woods before anyone or anything caught eye of what it was.

**A/N and that's it for the start, eh probably not that good, but even if its not, once the story gets going it will get better, and this is going to be a mystery story, but what's going to happen? Who is the mystery Figure? Why do I not know how to write a decent beginning when I focus on it? Well you will just have to wait, until next time. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Okay here's the second chapter, it has been a long time since I had a rapid review, and that really made me want to get this out as soon as I could, well its out, and the 3rd chapter is nearly finished. Enjoy.**

One of the zoo workers was sitting at the computer in the office it was a female just sitting there bored out of her mind, she pulled out a paddle ball and started hitting it, but failing to hit it properly and the ball started going all over the place. She finally got fed up with it and threw it in the trash. "Dang kids contraptions." Suddenly there was a ding sound, she was shocked at first, but then she realized it was just the computer letting her know she got a message.

_Dear Alice,_

_A couple of zoos in the area have been deemed as cruel to animals, so they have shut down, we are sending a few to your zoo as a temporary place until we can get them situated, sorry, but you don't have a say the zoo commissioner already accepted the offer._

_This message is just to inform you that you will have to deal with a male leopard, a female and male otter, and a rare Albino raccoon, please do take care of them, or the commissioner will ensure you wont like the outcome, thank you._

_Regards __Samantha Relisha_

Alice looked around and then laughed at the e-mail, "Great more rotten animals, that I'm going to have to take care of." Alice then got on her walkie-talkie, all that was coming out of it was just static, that apparently only she under stood.

"Why am I the one always stuck with these horrible creatures, they sit and do nothing." The walkie-talkie just makes static noises, "Yeah I get that, but you know what whatever, the otter will have company, and we get to get a rare animal, that I am sure will draw in the crowds."

The second Alice said that, one of the penguins stuck their head in the window ceil from the outside and pulled the other three into the room. They looked around and noticed Alice walked out of the door and shuts it. "Okay men, seems we are going to have more potential enemies, we need to keep an eye on." Skipper looked at the computer.

"Kowalski save this information on paper and get the chimps to read it, we need to know who and what we are dealing with." "Aye Skipper" Kowalski said while going and pressing several buttons on the computer until he finally managed to print out the information, Skipper was standing next to the printer grabbed the printed sheet and folded it up and put in a folder labeled 'Classified'.

"Now lets get the intel on our new 'guests' before they arrive." Skipper said, as he jumped out the window, Private fell a little behind, being a little pre-occupied watching a butterfly, but once he realized the other three jumped out the window without him, he made a break for the window.

Private jumped and hit the window ceil knocking the breath out of him and falling to the floor. Lucky for him it was around the new sign for the leopard exhibit, he heard the door knob start to twist and as quickly as he could he got behind the sign and out of sight.

"As I said whatever, as long as they don't disappear, or consistently require an eye on like the penguins, and the lemurs, then things will be fine." Alice put the walkie-talkie down and looked at the computer seeing the confirmation that documents on it was printed out. She sighed and figured she accidently hit print earlier so she went to the printer to find nothing was printed.

"Great, another day at the office." Alice shrugged and then sat back down in the chair and started to sit around being bored like she normally does, she looks at the computer again for the time and saw it was nearly time to open the gates.

Private was sitting behind the sign trying to still regain his breathing, but knew he had to get out of there soon, before Skipper realizes he is late for morning training. Private looked over and saw a rope hanging down, he then figured it was Skipper coming back for him, so he grabbed it and looked up seeing Skipper smiling at him.

Private smiled back, Skipper gave the signal to Kowalski that knocked on the door of the office, making Alice who was now leaning back in the chair nearly asleep snap awake and fall out backwards.

"Oh, uh, hang on a minute just finishing filing for the transfers." Alice said thinking it was someone needing her, she then got up, dusted herself off and proceeded to open the door. "Hello…" She started to scratch her head and look down the hallways, but no one was there.

"Typical, why am I even surprised this happens." She then walks back in the room shuts the door and sees the rope hanging in the window. She stares at it for a short time then she sits back in the chair and continues her nap…

Skipper and Private were sliding on their bellies away to the ice floe, where they would start their morning training, Private training his sneak attacks on Rico trying to catch him off guard, Skipper sparring with Kowalski to keep him in a flipper to flipper, or flipper to paw combat.

"Come on Kowalski, you land a hit the spar is over." Skipper said mockingly trying to get the intellectual to actual try and make a strike without calculating every time, which is slowing down the hits. Skipper just sighed when Kowalski continued to make calculated hits, Skipper figured to end the spar by a counter flip attack that he sometimes does when being hit.

Skipper grabbed Kowalski's flipper and pulled him over himself, which the intellectual was counting on, the second Kowalski was about to hit the ground he himself grabbed a firm grip of Skippers flipper and tossed him off the ice floe and into the cooled water.

Rico and Private both stopped their spar and was looking at Kowalski and then looked over to Skipper who was swimming around the pool, "Umm Skippah, what just happened?" Kowalski looked at Private "Oh nothing just a counter move he never expe…" before Kowalski could finish Skipper jumped out of the pool and tackled him.

"Always be vigilant Kowalski, good counter, but you need to be sure the enemy is down and out, before carrying on a friendly conversation." Skipped helped Kowalski up and they both laughed a little. "Well men ready to see what we are going to be dealing with?"

Private, Rico, and Kowalski all saluted and started to get set to get into formation to get over to the chimps habitat. Skipper then took lead and started their progression up to the chimps habitat.

One slightly dark colored chimp, was sitting on at a chess table having a cup of tea, while a light colored chimp was swinging around on a tire swing. "Chimps, we came across some intel and we need the details." Skipper said as they jumped over the wall and into the habitat.

"My word Skipper, you always interrupt, when I am always having a cup of tea, but I guess if it seems important." The dark colored one said, "Okay Phil come translate." The light colored went over to the group and started to do various hand gestures. "I know you were having fun on the swing, but they need you to read this news." Phil looked at the information on the paper.

"Okay it is an e-mail talking about a four animal transfer from zoos that were cruel to their animals, there is going to be two otters, a leopard, and…" the dark furred looked at Phil trying to understand, but Phil was sitting there nearly frozen.

"Phil, what's the matter ole chap?" Phil shook his head and continued to give them the information. "Okay the last one is a rare albino raccoon… Wow that is unusual, but that's pretty much all it says, doesn't really give much of anything more, but the author of the note." The dark furred chimp gave them the folder back.

"Thanks Mason, maybe they won't be a problem around here, and we can have new guests for tea?" Mason laughed a little "Yes Private, maybe, I'll make preparations just in case." Private smiled "Oh and do have a crumpet plate too, just as a welcome gift." Mason smiled "Yes, there will be crumpets."

Private noticed again he was left behind and sighed "Well got to go now." Private then made his way back to the habitat. Once inside the habitat, he pushed over the food bowl and jumped down a hole, into the Penguins head quarters. "What is with you guys leaving without warning." Private said.

"Oh there you are Private; we were just getting a few of these stunners ready for the potential enemies." Kowalski said as he pulled out a laser that still had a blue and red wire sticking out the side. "Kowalski, but what if they were not enemies, but interesting friends?" Kowalski looked around and chuckled a little.

"Oh naïve Private, leopards are dangerous creatures if they are not taken proper care of, and if the zoos were cruel to their animals, then the leopard, albino raccoon, and the otters are a potential threat of attacking any one that goes around them."

Private looked around trying to think of that even being possible, but he's too optimistic to imagine something so horrible happening. "Well since you put it that way, but do please be careful, we don't want to scare them if they are nice." Private said smiling at Kowalski.

An alarm started to sound, and Private jumped, he completely forgot what time it was, and he figured the transfers were some time away so he had enough time to watch the latest episode of 'The Lunacorns: Space Adventures' Private went over to the TV and turned it on and started to watch, but then he realized he forgot something. He quickly ran over to his bunk and pulled out a fluffy pink lunacorn from under his pillow.

**A/N Writing on a size limit to keep interesting is a bit hard for me, but I do have to shorten chapters and give as much detail as possible, I didn't think I did that bad with this one, but I will vary chapter sizes a little, see what's best for readers, Just review if you like long chapters (4k+ words/chapter) or medium (2k-4k words/chapter) or short (2k words/chapter) do keep in mind the longer obviously takes a little longer, but it gives me the writing space I am used to.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N Okay after this chapter I'll only let people read, unless I have something important to say, in which Im putting this, slight sickness came up, so this chapter a bit shorter then intended, but it did get cut off at a decent spot without making me get 3,000-3,500 words for the chapter, and a delay of 4 days.**

Later in the day Private's show ended, Private got up looked around and saw that Kowalski, Rico, and Skipper were still in the headquarters he smiled and thought to himself 'Finally I didn't get left behind for any reason.' He got up shut the TV off and made his way to the bunk to put up his pink lunacorn.

Another alarm went off, but this time all four of the penguins were on alert, Skipper quickly turned on the monitor and saw a couple of crates labeled "Live Cargo" "Operation: Paranoia…" Skipper looked around and saw Kowalski and Private look at him like he was slightly crazy Skipper just sighed.

"What it was going to be long, so I shortened it so we could get a dramatic effect." Skipper then sighed, "Whatever… The mission is… A go." Skipper and the others slid over to the wall plaque and pushed it revealing an opening into the sewers, a quick underground route to get around the zoo.

Rico coughed up a few flashlights just before entering the dark tunnels, Private started to feel a little shaky, he didn't like the sewers much, but then he remembered his friend that was an alligator that lived in the sewer was there and he wouldn't let much of anything scary into the sewer.

The group started to slide on their bellies and went around the pipes they figured to check out the two otters first, because they were going to be placed with Marlene, and the penguins knew what happened with Rhoda the walrus, so they wanted to make sure that any civilian was not harmed in any way like that again.

Skipper and the others waited under the grate that was in the den of Marlene's habitat just waiting for the box to be delivered, once it was the deliverer just left without opening the crate, and drove off to deliver the other two crates.

Skipper went through the grate along with the other three and they saw the crate sitting there, they heard voice inside it. "Look, this is a different place, okay. No one here wants to hurt you." A males voice was heard, "But, the other…" it was a females voice. "No, do not talk about that place, it does not exist any more, everything is going to be fine now."

Rico coughed up a crowbar and jammed it into the side of the crate to open it, "We are about to see the welcome party workers, I'm sure they won't look like crazed psychopathic mountain men." The male said, the female starting to feel better laughed.

Before the wall of the crate fell, Skipper, Kowalski, and Rico had stun guns aimed at the crate, Private was about to say something, but then the wall of the crate fell, exposing two otters one was a chocolate brown, the other was a chestnut colored just like Marlene, just different features and was a little taller.

"And Surpri…" the chocolate brown male was about to say, but stopped when he noticed the penguins pointing something at them, "Umm I suggest you not look." The female turned her head, but kept her eyes shut, "Why dear? What's the matter, don't tell me they look just like the other workers." The male grabbed a hold of the female and slightly moved her into a corner of the box, "No, it's not that." he said.

The female otter turned around and opened her eyes and saw the weapons pointed to her, "No… They are just like the... Wait a minute." She sounded hysterical at first, but then she calmed down a bit, "It's just penguins, okay that I actually did not expect." The penguins and the male otter looked at the female a bit surprised.

"See no workers that look like mountain men, at least I think so…" He then turned his attention to the penguins, "Please tell me there's no one that looks like that." Private smiled "See Skippah, they are not a threat to anyone." Private went up to the crate, held out his flipper in an attempt to 'shake hands'.

The male otter stuck out his paw grabbed a hold of Privates Flipper and started to shake it, "The names Louis, and this is my fiancé Gin" Private was about to open his beak to say something, but Skipper stopped him before he could say anything.

"Our names for now are not important, until other wise, you will only call us by letters." He then turned to Rico and Kowalski, "That means around them and the other two… you…" He pointed to Rico, "are 'R' and you…" He pointed to Kowalski "are 'K' and you…" Pointing to Private "are 'P' is that understood?" Rico, Private, and Kowalski a little hesitantly said "Aye, aye Ski…"

Skipper stared them down and they quickly recovered and said 'S'. Skipper then looked at the otters and watching them carefully. "What is wrong with him, why is he so uptight?" Skipper then ran up to Louis and nearly tackled him, but stopped, staring him down just a few inches from his face.

"If you have seen the things that I have seen, or hear the things I have heard, you would be just the same or worse… Depends how you look at it." Skipper said before backing away. "Logistically, I would think it be best that you not do anything suspicious, ski… I mean 'S' gets a bit paranoid."

Louis shrugged "Ah don't worry about it…" Gin suddenly grabbed hold of Louis and then started to try pulling him into Marlene's cave. "Hurry I don't want to see any of the zoo workers…" Gin and Louis get to the mouth of the cave before Skipper appeared in front of them.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, where do you think you're going, this cave is not open for 'anyone' to walk in all nilly willy." Skipper said as he was standing in front of the cave in a fighting stance. Gin and Louis stopped and looked around.

"Oh come on Skippah, they don't seem that harmful." Skipper glared at Private for not keeping to the initials name, but then looked at the two otters, "You didn't see anything." Skipper then quickly slid into the cave and down into the sewers.

The group made it back to the headquarters, Skipper then got them lined up. "Okay we went in all willy nilly with no plan, but now thanks to Private, here they know me, but none of you are to be saying full names to either of the other two. Any of you mention a name, instead of initial, will run twenty thousand meters, then a time trial that is nearly impossible, and you will have the same goal time each run of the course." He then started to get a sly look on his face.

"You know to make it more intensive, each time you fail to reach the goal time the time will get shorter and shorter, and you will not be allowed any fun…" he then grabbed Rico's doll and then went over to Privates bunk and grabbed his fluffy pink Lunacorn and tossed them into Kowalski's lab. "And no one has any access to this lab until we see who has to do the time laps."

Skipper then put a lock on the door, typed in a code on the number box outside the door, and then walked away from it and watched as lasers started to criss-cross on the door. "Now lets go see the foundation plot they have for the leopard." Skipper then jumped up the ladder and climbed out the fishbowl entrance.

While Kowalski was upset he didn't have any access to the lab to work on his inventions, Private and Rico sat staring at the lab wondering what their inanimate objects are feeling being locked in a lab, then both their imaginations started to go hay wire, and they imagined their dolls were alive and made a mess of the lab and spilled chemicals all over themselves.

Just as the screams of pain started to get to them all three heard Skippers voice, "The last soldier to the habitat, will have latrine duty for two weeks." Suddenly Kowalski, Rico and Private all jumped up and made their way out of the headquarters.

Just as they put the fishbowl lid back over the entrance, Private thought he heard a sound and stuck his head back down in the room, seeing nothing shrugged and then quickly latched up the lid and quickly made his way to the new habitat.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Private not wanting to be the last one to the exhibit, took a look at the map and figured out that he was too for south to get to the exhibit using the path that didn't lead straight through to it, he figured it would be easier to just cut through the habitats, that was until he saw he had to go through, Joey's habitat.

Private sighed took a deep breath and quickly slid on his belly to Joey's habitat, Private looked around and saw Skipper, Rico, and Kowalski setting up obstacles for the others to slow them down, Private then looked around the habitat and saw Joey was sitting back and watching the other three penguins set up the traps for the others.

"That serves you wallabies right, for everything you interfere with my business." He then started to laugh a little, Private took another deep breath and jumped into the habitat as silently as he could, he landed with a louder thud then he thought he would, he quickly hid and looked at Joey.

Joey's ears started to twitch a little, but other then that, nothing much happened, Private grabbed a few leaves and made a leaf cover to get by the kangaroo, Private hoped his plan works, Private runs into the open with the leaf covering, and then quickly laid down when Joey turned his head and looked at Private.

When Joey turned his attention back to the other three, Private quickly got up and started to move again, and again the sounds of his movement drawn Joey's attention, but this time Joey got up and started to look around, "Okay who's the wallaby in my habitat?" He looked around trying to locate anything.

He hopped around, every inch of the habitat, seeing nothing, he then sighed "Dang Penguins getting me paranoid now." He then sighed and went back to his post and continued watching the three fall in various traps set up by the other.

Private's heart was racing while Joey was looking for him, but when he noticed the kangaroo sitting back at his post Private just bolted across the rest of the habitat and making it out, he then quickly proceeded to the new habitat and leaned against it trying to catch his breath and relax.

Private sat and waited at the habitat for a while, shocked it was taking the others to get there fast, Private started to stretch around until he noticed that a zoo worker with a crate was bringing in the new habitant of the habitat, and quickly slid to the light post nearby and hid behind it.

"Okay big fella, here's your new home, now don't make us have to tranquilize you." the zoo keeper said to the crate, confusing Private a bit for not completely understanding what was the meaning of tranquilize. The crate just thrashed around a little, but not enough to really tip around, or break the crate.

"Well be a good boy, until either they decide to keep you or transfer you." Private could hear a male voice from the crate, "Get me out of here I am very claustrophobic." Private waited until the zoo worker was out of the area before quickly jumping in the habitat and slamming into the crate on accident.

"Who ever you are, get this dang crate open, I'm starting to get a slight panic attack." The creature on the inside said, Private nodded "Just hang on I'm sure I can get you out when my friends get here." Private said hoping they would hurry up.

Private then heard an explosion and saw three soot covered creatures flying right at him, he jumped out of the way just as the three crashed into the crate breaking it open, and seeing a spotted leopard quickly run around. "Finally free, fresh air, dang I really hate those transfer crates." The leopard then looked around and saw a penguin standing smiling at him, and then he noticed the three that crashed into the crate.

"Oh thank you four so much." He then ran over to Private and pounced on him giving him a hug, "Hey what are you, stop it, that tickles." Skipper slowly got up and saw the leopard pouncing on Private, "Ri, I mean R get up fast." Rico slowly got up for a second to regain composure and then noticed the leopard.

He quickly coughed up a bat and started to take a couple of practice swings, Kowalski slowly got up and saw the same thing, he was about to say something, but he realized the others already saw what was going on.

"Let go of our friend now." Skipper yelled as he jumped in the air and was about to deliver a jump kick at the leopard, the leopard stopped hugging Private and turned just in time to see Skipper inching closer to him, the leopard moved fast, but wasn't fast enough, as Skipper kicked him in the ribs knocking the leopard onto the ground.

Private jumped up, "Skippah, what did you do that for? He was giving me a hug for helping him out of the crate." Skipper looked at Private a little glare for saying his name, but then looked at the Leopard lying on the ground with slight tears welling up in his eyes.

"Private… I… He…" Skipper then looked down at the ground and walked over to the leopard and held out his flipper, but the leopard swatted it away, "Leave me alone, get away from here now." The leopard said in anger, but was still crying a little. Skipper nodded.

"Let's go men, he just needs time to relax." Skipper then started to make his way out of the habitat with Rico and Kowalski following him, but Private stayed behind looking at the leopard, feeling bad for what happened. Private slowly made his way close to the leopard, and the leopard swatted at Private knocking him back to the wall of the habitat.

"I said leave me alone." It then looked around and saw the den that the zoo keepers set up for him, he slowly got up, feeling his ribs popping a little, he then with a slight limp started to make his way to the den.

Private sighed as he got up, he really felt bad for the leopard, but he knew that he did have to leave the leopard to calm down a bit before trying to talk to him again. Private jumped out of the habitat and made his way back to headquarters, once he got there he looked at Skipper.

"Skippah, how could you just jump to conclusions like that, now thanks to you, I never got to learn his name, and he probably hates us now, also I think you seriously injured him." Private then turned away from Skipper and started to make his way up to the ice floe and sat there looking up at the sky trying to figure out how he could get the leopard to be friends with him and the other three.

Skipper looked around, and then saw Rico and Kowalski looking at him, Kowalski then felt he had to bring up what happened, "Skipper, I hate that we done that to a non hostile, and I hate to bring this up at this time, but obviously you or Rico was the last one to the habitat, also you and Private called each other by names."

Skipper glared at Kowalski and was about to smack him with his flipper, but he stopped before he hit Kowalski, Skipper just glared at him in a bit of anger, but he knew that Kowalski was right, and he didn't want to show signs of being a hypocritical leader, so he clenched his flipper and then started to walk around a little frustrated.

"You know just as well as I do, what we saw, it could have been hostile, but.." Skipper kept going over the scene in his head when he jumped into the air and kicking the leopard even though Private was sitting there laughing, and didn't seemed harmed in any way. Skipper tried to stop thinking that and quickly tried to get back n track to what he was saying.

"We will try to make it up to him, once we know for sure he isn't hostile." Skipper then looked at Kowalski, "I also can't believe I just locked myself into doing something even, I can't do." Kowalski looked around, "I can make you a schematic so you and Private could go through the trial in the fastest amount of time possible." Skipper looked at him and smiled.

"No can do soldier, I am not going to use any outside help." Skipper then went over to Privates bunk and then lifted the pillow knowing that Private's Lunacorn doll was in the lab. Skipper sighed and went to the lab and unlocked the door, Rico was the first to run into the room and grabbing his dolly.

Kowalski ran in and started to grab the chemicals he had in the lab and without spilling them hugged them all and started talking to them, "I will never leave you my precious chemicals ever again." Skipper and Rico both looked at him like he was a little crazy. Kowalski looked up at them, "Oh umm… nothing to see here." Kowalski put all the chemicals down and went over to an invention under a cloak and went underneath the cloak and pretended to work on it, but he really didn't want Rico or Skipper to see him giving his chemical vials hugs.

Skipper then grabbed Private's Lunacorn doll and started to make his way up to the ice floe, when he got up there he saw Private was just standing and waving to the crowd, Skipper climbed up almost completely forgetting he was carrying the doll and started to help impress the crowd.

After a few more minutes, Kowalski was on the ice floe and then several minutes after Rico finally joined in the party, after some time, the crowd slowly died down and the zoo started to close for the day. Skipper then grabbed the Lunacorn doll and held it out to Private.

"Hey Private, I really didn't mean to you know…" Private grabbed the lunacorn and turned away from Skipper. "Look I was just worried for your safety, I didn't know for sure what he was doing, and I didn't want to lose you like…" He then stopped and then sighed. "Manfredi and Johnson… we never saw that the hug was actually a trap." Private stroked the doll a couple times then turned and looked at Skipper.

"I know Skippah, but its not the fact you did that, its just…" he just stopped and looked around, "I just want to make sure he sees it as an accident and we can be friends." Skipper nodded and went over to Private and started to pat him on the back, "Yeah, I'm sure you can see the kindness in them, but don't think its all real, many enemies can hide true intentions under their actions."

The second Skipper said that Private started to think Skipper was going to do a sneak attack, that wouldn't hurt Private, but be enough of an example to teach him kindness can be an effective cover to just about anything.

Privates intuition was correct as Skipper tried to make a strike Private grabbed his leaders flipper and blocked the strike, Skipper was a bit shocked by that happening, and then smiled at his friend. "See, if I never said about a hidden strike, you would never have seen it coming,"

Private nodded, "Well Skippah, we can re-make friends with the leopard later, tomorrow we get to meet the, umm what does Albino mean?" Skipper looked around and before he could respond Kowalski came out of no where "Albino is a way of saying that an animal is pure white with little to no markings of any kind, there may be some grey, and block but other then those they are devoid of colors."

Private looked at him confused, Kowalski sighed, "It is just a white raccoon, instead of the normal brown and black, or the grey and black." Private smiled "Oh well, that's nice then, I guess."

Private then smiled at the lunacorn doll and then gave Skipper a hug and then made his way into headquarters and sleep for the night, Kowalski went inside to leaving Skipper out on the ice floe completely alone, Skipper looked into the sky and felt a feeling he rarely feels, but then suddenly he felt something looming.

He looked around and saw everything was a little darker then it was, and he had a feeling something terrible is about to happen, but what… He doesn't know… yet.

**A/N A little thing to keep informed, yes this story has seemed to not be focused about anything, well I had to have the intro meetings and detail them so it not a met you, quick glimpse, I mean tell me you don't have a feel of personality from the characters.**

**Any way the next chapter is the meeting of an Albino raccoon, if you read any of my happy Tree Friend stories you should know him, the leopard is new though… any way the main focus of the story (Why its called The Mystery) should show up after meeting the raccoon, maybe in the same chapter, or maybe the chapter after.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Skipper was the first one up as usual, but this morning felt different to him, he couldn't put his flipper on it, he looked around the headquarters it was darker then usual, he makes his way up the ladder and lifts off the lid, he then makes his way on the ice floe.

He looked around he realized it was an unnatural cloudy morning, one of those mornings you just want to stay in rest, relax, have a great cup of coffee, which to him seemed like a great idea.

Skipper went back into the headquarters and had to readjust his sight to the slightly darker area then it was outside, once he could see a bit clearly he made his way over to the coffee machine and made himself a cup, after he finished making it he put the final touches of a tuna in the cup before seeing it as finally done.

Skipper took a couple sips he sat and waited, maybe it was just starting to get into the fall season, the time where it cools down, gets cloudy and light from the sun doesn't last or even begin in the morning long.

Skipper then realized it was a bit later in the day then he realized, he walked up to the bunks and saw the other three peacefully sleeping, he then smiled, but then his smiled turned a bit devious as he started to grin as he pulled out an air horn.

He pressed the button and the loud sound went all around the headquarters quite louder then Skipper thought it would, once the sound gets subdued he looks at the three who were still sleeping peacefully and wasn't even disturbed on bit by the noise.

Skipper looked at the three shocked, he then shouted, "The HQ is under attack, get up." The three were still sleeping in the bunk, Skipper sighed and then said "Fine forget it, seems this salmon I was saving for a job well done reward for at least doing things correctly after meeting the last possible hostile. Well seems I get to enjoy this myself."

Suddenly the Kowalski fell out of the bunk and landed on the ground jumping up smacking Rico in the face, Rico coughed up a baseball bat hitting Kowalski's bunk falling back down hitting him making him fall out of the bunk and on Kowalski, Rico's flipper slowly slid its way down onto Private's bunk, getting slower and slower as it gets next to Private, until it barely even touch one of Private's feather Private jumped up and got in a position ready to fight.

Skipper looked around, and sighed at how humiliating it was to make so much ruckus of noise and then calmly talking about a reward and suddenly they are all up, maybe not full alert, but they finally got up.

"Well you bunch of little babies finally wake up, just because the tantalizing reward? Well for not getting up on time, and being late for morning training, before meeting mystery guest number four, you boys, need to find some way to get back on my good side if you want the reward."

Private was the only one that was attentive and was the only to salute, the other two took their time with saluting, which was not normal for them. Skipper went over to Kowalski and Rico and examined them, both looked normal, but he wasn't a medical expert, and the only one that was, is not acting like himself.

Several minutes go by Kowalski and Rico finally started to act more normal then they did earlier, "What in Einstein's theory happened last night?" Kowalski said while holding his head, Skipper shrugged Rico then started to cough up all the weaponry he had, once his storage was empty, they all looked at the supplies, and see if any of them malfunctioned and released some sort of gas.

They looked at all the inventory and noticed everything was in moderate working conditions, since many have not been used in so long, but other then that nothing was wrong with them until Rico started to get a little concerned.

Skipper looked at Rico and took notice "What's the matter soldier?" Rico was looking all around in every available hiding spot in the headquarters and Kowalski's lab, "Ka-boom?" Skipper looked at him, and then noticed he didn't have any dynamite in his hand, Skipper knew Rico was great at explosions with dynamite.

"Well I am sure it's around here somewhere, we will look for it later, but for now we have a meeting with someone." Skipper then patted Rico on the back in an attempt to cheer him up. Then they quickly made their way up onto the ice floe, seeing that the dark atmosphere over the zoo subsided.

"That is strange…" Skipper heard Private say, he then turned his attention to the little penguin. "What is strange?" Private shrugged, "I have no idea Skippah, just have a feeling something is strange." Skipper kept solid eye contact with Private and after a few seconds back away from the suspicious look.

Private sighed in relief, he hated it a bit when Skipper eyes him suspiciously especially when he has not done anything for it. He then notice he was starting to fall behind a little so he picked up his pace and actually caught up with the other three.

They stopped when they went to an already natural habitat for a raccoon, that was then just marked off from the public and had it placed in. They looked around everywhere, they were shocked they couldn't see anything white in the habitat.

Suddenly they turned around and the raccoon was walking around the zoo out in the open admiring the sites like a tourist. "Hey there, neighbors… I presume." The raccoon said, Skipper took a hard glance at him, the raccoon looked like a medium sized raccoon, black ears and an unnatural looking mark around his belly leading to a black stripe going up and down his back.

"What is the matter? No greetings?" Skipper snapped out of his evaluation of the raccoon and held out his flipper that he had a small tracking device on, the raccoon smiled and grabbed the flipper slightly shaking it up and down.

"I guess your not the chatty type, well that's all good, I guess." Skipper looked around the raccoon was right a bit, it was a bit way too un-naturally quiet even Private wasn't trying to have a conversation. "Well I'm sorry, Mr.… Umm?"

The raccoon looked at him and sighed just realizing. "Oh I'm sorry, the names Belize." Belize then looked at there expressions, "What is with all the staring and no talking, its really starting to make me think you are plotting something."

Skipper smiled and then said "Oh its just I think they are in awe that there's a specimen as interesting as you here." Belize backed away a little "Whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm not into that stuff." Skipper shook his head, "What, no, not that, you as a specimen by they have not got to see someone so rare around here."

Belize mocked a laugh a little, but was still a little worried that the penguin might be trying to talk him into a date or something. "Well mind umm acting like I am a normal raccoon, I mean really I am, fur color doesn't make any difference." Skipper nodded "Yes, we can." Skipper said as he clapped his flippers together.

"Sir, we might have a problem." Kowalski said as he snapped out of his trance, Skipper looked at him and then at Belize. "What kind of problem Kowalski?" Kowalski pulled out a clipboard and started to take notes on it then when he started talking to Skipper he covered his beak and started to mouth the words. 'The markings, on him, they are not natural.' Skipper sighed.

"Kowalski he's not completely evil, I some reason don't get that vibe off of him, but I can't escape this feeling that he is hiding something, I'm sure all four of the potential hostiles have something to hide." Belize sat there and looked at the two.

"Do you mind we are trying to have a conversation here." Belize backed away slowly, "Sorry didn't mean to intrude." Skipper then got back to talking to Kowalski, but a little quieter. "So we will need to find our sources and get all the information we can on them. A.S.A. NOW" Skipper snapped Rico and Private out of their trances as he noticed it was near time for the zoo to open.

The penguins all made it back to there headquarter while Belize just sat there for a few seconds, "Ah the cautious type too; well that is quite interesting." Belize then jumped the fence of his habitat and climbed up a tree and sat in the tree perch looking all around the zoo keeping an eye on everyone…


	6. Chapter 6

Back at the headquarters the four penguins looked at each other trying to figure out what happened, "Well any of you want to explain why you were just staring at the white mammal like he was a high commander?" Skipper said eyeing each of his comrades.

None of them responded, until Kowalski started to clear his mind and think what it was, "Umm Skipper, I think I might have a conclusion to what the problem was." Skipper was gazing at him, waiting for a great response that seemed to be permissible for their actions of not listening to their commander.

"Well those marks on him, looked like tribal marks of some sort, I don't really remember for sure, but I think the marks may have a slight hypnotic trance on anyone that looks at it." Skipper didn't say anything he was sitting and waiting for Kowalski to finish, but Kowalski just starred back at him.

"Well…?" Skipper said not taking his gaze off of Kowalski. Kowalski realized he and the others weren't on Skipper's good side, and he finally realized what Skipper was waiting for, "Oh sorry, sir." And then gave him a salute. Skipper then started to walk away pondering about what Kowalski has said.

"Okay since I was the only one acting normal around him, I will keep an eye on him, Kowalski… Rico… You two will have to pick which one you are watching, but you two are going to watch the two otters" Rico and Kowalski saluted and said "Aye, aye Skipper." Both then made their way out to make a post to watch their assignments.

Skipper then looked at Private "Well Private, I seen the look the leopard had on you, if I didn't injure him, he wasn't really that much of a threat so you get to watch him, I think he should be calmed down now… Oh and don't forget you are to be here at 0900 for the punishment of using names." Private then looked a little spiteful at Skipper and then had a grin on his face, "At least I don't have to do the trial alone, ay Skippah?" Private then giggled a little. Skipper sighed "Just go make your friend and make sure he's really not hostile."

Private saluted and went to the leopards habitat to talk to the leopard to see if he was calmed down enough to be made friends. Skipper then got up to the top of the ice floe and looked all around, enjoying the middle of the week when the zoo didn't have that many guests interfering in their missions, Skipper then belly slid his way around Belize's habitat to set up a perch to watch the raccoon without him knowing.

Skipper found a rock that was pretty high up and a monument stone for what, he never learned, he just knew that it was there to commemorate something. He got on top of it and started to look into the habitat and saw Belize sitting in a tree with binoculars looking over at Marlene's habitat.

Skipper pulled out a recorder and started to record a message of his observation, keeping up to date with it every ten minutes seeing Belize scribble things down on a piece of paper and then he looks around at all the other habitats and then scribbling more things. Skipper having a perfect view of the clock saw it was about to be 0900 and he needed to ensure Private was on time for the punishment they both were going to go through.

Skipper made it and looked around Private was no where in sight, Skipper sighed and said a little out loud "Out of all the group, Private had to be the one that is being a mutinous kind." Skipper sighed and watched the clock showing it was 0900 in one minute, so he got down in a preparation set doing quick little stretches to get prepared.

Once the time hit 0900 he started the trial, to his surprise Private was right next to him actually almost outdoing the leader in the slight agility course of the trial, "Private… Where were you?" Private just smiled, "Sorry Skippah, I was trying to get Silva to see what you saw so he wouldn't be that mad at you."

"Private… That doesn't explain much and it took two hours to explain that?" Skipper then sighed "Whatever, lets get this trial done before the time shortens." Skipper and Private start to pick up the pace and then they got to the swimming section of the trial, both were pretty well with that, Skipper then jumped out and landed on the ice floe Private went another lap for good measures.

"Well that wasn't that bad actually was it Private?" Skipper said he then looked at the time, he and Private actually accomplished it five tenths of a second faster then the goal meaning it was complete and both of them didn't have to do the trial again with a shorter time.

"Nice job Private, now we can verify that we did the trial, and I have taken a picture of the stop watch time so we have valid evidence, now lets go and continue observing the possible hostiles." Private smiled and nodded "Oh yay, I get to spend more time with my new friend." Private then started to make his way to the leopards habitat, but Skipper stopped him.

"Remember private, keep everything confidential and take note of anything odd that he does, is that clear?" Private smiled, nodded and then saluted Skipper, "ay, ay Skippah." Private then slid his way over to the habitat.

Skipper was making his way back to his perch on the statue when he felt something hit him in the back of the head, knocking him unconscious, but before he completely went unconscious he saw a shadow silhouette standing over him, but he wasn't for sure who it was before finally blacking out.

Several hours later, Rico, Kowalski, and Private made their way back to their habitat. "Skippah, we are back." Private said all cheery that Silva agreed to forgive them, but he didn't get a response back. "Skippah, are you here?" Private opened the lid to the headquarters and went inside.

The three penguins were shocked when they got in and saw their headquarter was a mess, everything was thrown around, Kowalski broke down crying when he saw vials of chemicals for his experiments were on the ground. Rico looked around realizing he left his Dolly, in the headquarters he smiled when he saw the back of the head in a rubble pile.

Rico ran over to it and picked it up fast and gave the doll a kiss only to realize that it was just the head, and someone put red x's on its eyes and mouth, Rico then started to sob at what was happening, he quickly ran to his bunk and saw his Lunacorn doll was still under his pillow in his bunk, but when he pulled it out, the horn was missing, and there was three straight lined cuts in various areas on the lunacorn doll.

Private grew worried, he wanted to know what happened to the HQ, suddenly the fish trophy opened up and Skipper was walking in covered flipper in red he was holding his head and then once he was fully inside the HQ Private noticed that he was covered in red.

"Skippah, What happened to you?" Skipper didn't say anything he just stumbled around and fell on Private, Private got Skipper off of him and helped him up to his bunk, Private then let Skipper fall asleep.

Private sighed and then he looked at the red on Skipper, he figured it was paint, but then he noticed it was too fluid like to be slightly dried thickened paint, he was a little worried at first, he went over to Kowalski and quickly got him to test the fluid.

After five minutes Kowalski walked up to Private and Rico staring at them in shock, he then sighed and started to shake a little, Private worriedly asked "What's wrong Kowalski?" Kowalski dropped the paper of the results and just couldn't believe it, Private walked over to the results and couldn't understand it, Rico looked at it, didn't think it was real.

Private looking at the two, "Will someone please tell me what the results mean?" Kowalski picked it up, "twenty two point seven three percent, acrylic paint." Private sighed, "What is so bad about that?" Kowalski put his flipper up to Private's beak and stopped him from talking.

"Seventy six point two seven percent, ironized hemoglobin." Private looked at Kowalski confused a little bit, "Meaning?" Kowalski sighed "Meaning much of the fluid on Skipper is… blood."

**A/N Sorry I couldn't help but explain this, yes I kept this under T next chapter will start turning it over a bit to the T side of things, not much but enough to make it have to be T rated. Now the next chapter will give more details of what happened, or the news of what happened will come to light, so a major cliff hanger point here, enjoy and with a few business opportunity I'm going to have the next chapter out in about five days.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N Okay I'm sorry this was late, been feeling sick with unknown cause, and I am just really I don't know now, if its in my head, or if something putting a hidden stress in my emotional mentality, I don't know stories will be slow update until I figure out what's going on. Along with waiting for results for my Happy Tree Friends story. Enjoy, and sorry, but there's going to be another while wait.**

Private stared at Skipper in horror, "That's b-blood?" Private started to feel a little dizzy and fell over fainting, Skipper started to slowly open his eyes and saw he was staring up at the top of a ceiling in his bunk, he jumped down onto the floor almost landing on Private.

Skipper looked around, "Hey boys, what's with Mc-Sleepington?" Skipper said actually laughing a little, shocking Kowalski and Rico. Kowalski went over to Skipper "Umm sir, you have some blood on you." Skipper looked around and looked over his flippers his body and didn't see anything.

"I have no idea what you're talking about soldier." Kowalski grabbed a mirror and angled it for Skipper to see the blood in his feathers. "What in salmonellae?" Skipper grabbed the mirror, "How did this happen?" Suddenly the four birds heard a scream coming from Marlene's habitat.

"Marlene, we have to go." Skipper jumped up on the ladder, but lost his balance and fell on Private waking him up. "I'm alright Skipper." Was all the little penguin said after Skipper rolled off of him. Private heard the last echoes of the scream. "Oh my that's Marlene."

Rico and Private were on their way to Marlene's while Kowalski stayed back with Skipper. "Look Skipper, you need to for one, calm down, we need to get this disinfected just in case, and two Private and Rico are perfectly capable of handling whatever is going on."

Kowalski then grabbed a rag and started to wipe the blood, but before doing anything with the rag he grabbed another soaked it in disinfect it and started to clean what was left in the feathers. Kowalski then bandaged up his head in case it was from a wound to his head.

Private and Rico both made it to Marlene's cave, they were a little shocked at the scene, all of Marlene's items were torn to shreds, Gin was lying on the ground half conscious, slipping in and out of it, while Louise is completely unconscious.

"Marlene, what happened here?" Private asked, Marlene tried to calm down a bit, but took a little longer then she thought, "I-I don't know, I was just sleeping then I woke up and saw the mess. I-I then quickly g-got up and saw them lying where they are." Marlene then couldn't hold back her shock much longer.

Private looked at Rico, Rico shrugged and Private sighed and went over to Marlene and gave her a comforting embrace, "It's okay Marlene, they will be fine… Rico help me get them to the vet's office." Rico nodded and looked around for something he could put the two otters on, he saw one of the zoo carts near the habitat, and he got Privates attention to it.

Private and Rico loaded the two otters on the cart "Okay let's go before it is too late to help them." Private said as he jumped on the brake pedal, He looks around and jumps on the pedal, "What is…" he looked next to him and saw he was pressing on the brakes. "Oh" he jumped on the gas pedal and the cart started to zoom in a straight line, Rico, after making sure the two otters were safe and constrained from flying out, he then jumped and took control of the wheel and started to drive the cart to the vets office.

While the cart was driving down to the vets neither of the penguins noticed the potential victims of being ran over, but they knew many known to stay in their habitat when they hear the zoo carts. So they didn't take any notice but on getting to the vets office.

"Are we almost there Rico?" Private yelled up "ya" Private looked around sighed as he started to worry about the two otters in the back of the cart until he felt a bump on the path which gave enough force to the unsuspecting penguin and knocked him out of the cart, while Rico was still trying to steer and get the cart back under control.

"What was that?" Private looked down the path that they were at and he saw a white fur, Private got concerned and quickly ran over to it, he sighed in relief when it was just a bust with a coat of white fur on it. Private then started to be a little suspicious, because he knows the only one in the zoo with white fur was Belize.

Private realized he had something more concerning to deal with at the moment so he gets up dusts himself off and quickly started to belly slide his way to the vets office or cart, which ever he gets to first.

After Private left, Belize looks up from the Koala's habitat "Dang it, he took my gift to my fiancé." Suddenly he heard a voice behind him "What are you doing in my habitat, and why are you acting like those penguins?" Belize looked around, "Oh sorry, I was just getting out of the way of a cart that almost killed me, and what do you mean act like them?"

The Koala looks at him and makes an analyzing gaze, "I don't know, you have that stench of Penguin on you, don't tell me they sent you to deal with me, I don't want any trouble from them." Belize just looks around making sure no one else was around laughing at this situation.

"Okay, look, Koala." The koala looked glared at Belize, "My name is not Koala, its Leonard." Belize sighed "Okay then, Leonard, I have no idea what you are talking about and I have to go now." Belize jumped out of the habitat, and started to make his way back to his habitat to get back the fur Private picked up and took with him.

Private caught up with Rico and the cart as it was slowly decelerating Private slid up to it and jumped on it landing next to the gas pedal, he then added little pressure to it knowing they were near the office, so there was no need to go crashing the cart.

Private sensing that they are close jumped onto the brakes slowly until it decelerated a bit more, then he pressed down on it harder to make it come to a complete stop right outside the vets office door.

Private then told Rico to go and inform Skipper and Kowalski what happened, Rico knew Private was right so he did what he said, Private then knocked on the vet's office door and then slid away as fast as he could.

The vet opened the door, the vet looked around and saw no one, but he saw the cart right outside the door, he shrugged and walked over to the cart and then had a surprise look on his face when he saw the two unconscious otters in the back. He quickly picked them up carefully and brought them inside and started to examine them.

Private knowing there's nothing else he can do he started to make his way back to headquarters, but he ran into Belize on the way there, "Oh hey Belize, what is with this?" Private pulled up the fur coat and held it up to Belize, Belize sighed, "Look I… its confidential, and I am pretty sure you wouldn't understand." Belize grabbed the fur.

"I will tell you this though…" Belize started to inspect the coat making sure it was still stitched together well, Belize sighed in relief that it was. "I do not like anyone or anything sticking their nose in business that doesn't have anything to do with them." Belize then started to walk off going back to his habitat.

"Now do keep that in mind young Private, I am fairly sure it will help in your little mystery." Private looked the direction Belize was going, but didn't see any sign of him there, Private then looked around trying to make sense of what just happened, but then he noticed it was getting a little darker so he knew he had to get back to headquarters or Skipper would be upset with him.


	8. Chapter 8

Private made his way back to the headquarters once he opened the hatch and went down in he saw Rico and Kowalski and Skipper looking staring at him, "Oh what's the matter? Am I late for something?" Private then smiled acting like he didn't know he was late.

"Private, if you wanted some time to talk to someone even if it is your friend, you need to at least let me know, I saw Rico come in and when you didn't show up." Skipper looked at Kowalski; Kowalski knew Skipper wanted him to tell him. "We were getting ready to search the zoo and if you weren't here, we were going to go to all our enemies and rescue you."

Private slightly giggled about how Kowalski explained, but he stopped himself when he saw Skipper about to give him a glare, Private stopped and sighed, "I know, I know, I should have made it here with Rico, but Skippah I ran into Belize on the way and…" Before Private could finish, they heard knocking on the hatch.

"Who could that be?" Skipper jumped up the ladder and opened the hatch, "Oh hi, Sorry too bother you, but I just wanted to talk to you about Private for a second." Belize said smiling at Skipper, which shocked Skipper a little, but he nodded and went up onto the ice floe. "Okay so what did you want to tell me about my soldier?"

Belize's smile didn't fade any at all, "Oh just keep a better eye on him, he almost ran me over with a cart and then took a fur coat of mine." Skipper looked at him shocked, Belize realized what he just said, "Look its fur that I have shed from myself, okay I cleaned it and stitched it together into a coat to give as a gift to a friend." Skipper kept a suspicious look at Belize after a few seconds Belize finally dropped the smile.

"Okay stop looking at me like I'm doing something, it bothers me a bit more then people sticking their noses where it doesn't belong, which I'm pretty sure you have already done." Belize turned around and jumped to the wall of the habitat and wrapped his tail around a rail.

"One, you won't find anything you are trying to find, so you might as well give up watching me. Two, your head should be fine in a short amount of time, and your memories should return by then, but before it does I suggest you take time to relax and not spy on me, thanks." Belize then smiled again, "avidese" then used his tail pulled himself out of the habitat and started to make his way to his habitat.

Skipper glared at him the whole time, starting to piece together, Belize must be a part of the attack on the two otters, but he wasn't for sure. Once he lost complete sight of Belize in the trees, Skipper went down the hatch into the headquarters and lost his balance and fell to the ground.

"Skippah are you alright?" Private said running over to Skipper and helping him up. "I'm fine Private, I think the fast fall made me lose some focus for a second there, but other then that I am fine." Skipper closed his eyes and relaxed a little opened them and he started to see things as different, the room looked larger, the television looked like it grew arms and legs, but was still motionless, he then looked at Private as his body suddenly started to melt the skin off leaving a penguin skeleton standing in the place of his friend.

Skipper started to use his flipper and wiped his eyes, then suddenly the skeleton started move and talk to him, he couldn't understand what was being said, he just saw it move and talk to him, but the words were just jumbled and he couldn't make any sense of it.

Private, Kowalski, and Rico was starting to get a bit worried about Skipper, but they didn't know how to help him, they noticed he couldn't understand them so they couldn't tell him to go and rest in the bunk, and whatever he was seeing really started to make him look like something is for sure wrong, they even seen him sweat, as the feathers got moist they started to stick to his body.

Kowalski then figured it would be best to test out his hypnotic machine, Kowalski grabbed the device and figured to test it out first, to ensure nothing will happen to Skipper and jumped up onto the ice floe and saw a pigeon flying by, Kowalski tested it on the pigeon and saw the effects.

It worked fine, it knocked the pigeon out cold, Kowalski smiled and then went back into the headquarters and used it on Skipper, once Skipper was out cold Kowalski and Private sighed as they picked him up getting a bit wet and putting Skipper in the bunk, after they did that, Kowalski and Private went into the water to make an excuse for being wet.

After they got out they saw a medium sized grey lemur and a small light brown lemur on the wall of their habitat looking a bit worried, "Guys, guys, hurry something is wrong with King Julian." The grey lemur jumped off the wall and started to run over to the lemur habitat once he knew that Kowalski jumped over the wall and started to go to the habitat, while Private went down into the headquarters and got Rico.

Once they get to the lemur habitat, "Okay Maurice what's going on?" Kowalski said, he saw Julian sitting in a throne lying down legs on one arm rest his body in the seat and his upper body on the other armrest. "Don't the sky spirits think that I am the kingliest of kings? Why would they make me feel like this?" Maurice walked over to the throne.

"Your majesty, I got someone to help you figure things out." Kowalski slapped himself in the face and then turned to leave, Julian got up, "Oh no, why did you go get the fishy penguins? They can't help the king of kings." Kowalski stopped and turned around. "You think we can't help you? Well for an attitude like that we are going to help you to prove you wrong."

Julian laughed a bit, "What do you think you can do smarty one?" Kowalski walked over to Julian and started to make examinations "Lets see now, fur seems to be soft and fluffy, no missing patches, no discoloration." He lifted up Julian's arms "Muscle function seems to be functional, skeletal system intact, no notches, no bumps of any sort." Kowalski then pulled out a small flashlight and started to flash it in Julian's eyes.

"Sensory stimuli seems to be functioning properly, in overall I see nothing wrong with Julian…" Julian sighed as he slumped back in the chair and stared at the sky. "Well maybe a few things, but physical or mental illness he's mostly normal… Only thing I can't examine at the time is his emotional status."

Kowalski looked at Private, "Hey Private mind going to HQ and get me a few things?" Kowalski started to write down on a clipboard he pulled out of thin air and gave him the sheet after folding it up. "Sure thing K'walski." Private started to make his way sliding to his habitat and jumped over the rail hitting the edge of the ice floe and almost falling into the water.

Private pulled up at the last second stopping him from falling into the water and sighed then made his way to the hatch opened it and dropped in. Skipper was still out cold and lying down in the bunk, he saw Rico sitting with Miss Perky petting her and brushing her hair. "Rico, mind helping me look for a few things?" Rico nodded.

Rico put down Mrs. Perky and walked over to Private, "Okay here's the list, umm well, I guess that's all." Private then gave the list to Rico, Rico just went around looking for the items on the list.

(Back at the Lemur habitat)

"So what did you send Private to get?" Maurice asked looking a little quizzically at Kowalski, Kowalski laughed, "Oh don't worry I just didn't want the little guy to hear me say a few things to Julian." Maurice looked at him confused, Kowalski then went over to Julian and started to say various sentences in his ear.

(Back in HQ)

Private was in Kowalski's lab looking for the Julian shaped bottle with an unknown liquid in it, Private saw four of them, sitting on a shelf, Private went over to them and looked at each one, other then the colors of the liquids they all looked and bubbled exactly the same.

"Umm, uh which one, which one?" Private looked at all the bottles and then looked behind him at Rico checking if everything was off the list, Private shrugged and grabbed the bottle with a purple hue, "Okay Rico that should be everything, am I off?" Rico dug around in the bag. After a few seconds Rico pulled his head out and mumbled 'all clear'

Private smiled and started to climb up the steps, "Okay, take good care of Skippah Rico." Private then jumped out of the hatch and covered it with their food bowl, he then looked around to make sure that there was no one watching him, as he made his way out of the habitat and started his way to the lemur habitat.

Private was about half way to the lemur habitat when he had a cold chill and felt someone was watching him, he scanned around the scene, nothing was there no people, for some strange reason Joey, Badda, Bing, Becky, Stacy, no one was out in the open of their habitats.

Private just chuckled to himself a little, "Ah this is just my imagination playing tricks on me, I think it might be something completely logical." Private then started to laugh as he was making his way to the lemur habitat.

A shadow figure was sitting on the rock Skipper was using as a look out perch "Well, Private, you are more naive then many think, this makes things much more easier." The shadow smiled as it grabbed a blunt object from behind the rock and some feathers.

The figure started to make its way over to the badgers habitat, the shadow then being cautious slowly entered their habitat and then once it knew it didn't make noise the shadow figure started to make its way up to the cave entrance of the habitat.

"Hello anyone here?" the shadow said. "Who's there? We are kind of busy do you mind coming back later?" a female's voice was heard. "Umm I would, but I would like to talk to one of you if you don't mind?" the shadow said. "Okay hang on a second my sister Becky will be there shortly."

The shadow smiled that at least it can take them out separately making things more easily for it, the shadow swung the blunt object back and got ready to smash it into the head of its next victim. A brownish orange badger started to make its way up to the entrance of the cave.

"Hel-" the badger didn't see anyone there, she went all around the habitat and couldn't find anyone there, "Hey Stacey, are you sure that there was someone here wanting us?" a few seconds of silence filled the cave. "Stacey your not going to prank me this year." Becky looked around the cave was completely silent, not a single thing was making a sound, not even the water filter giving the badgers fresh water to drink.

"Okay Stacey this is not funny any more where are y-" suddenly she stopped and froze at the most horrific sight she saw, she saw her sister sitting in a chair in a pose with blood and feathers all around her. Becky ran over to her and tapped her gently at first, "Stacey…" she said as she then poked her again this time a little harder, but the light yellow badger didn't stir, suddenly Becky noticed that she looked more pale then she normally does.

Becky quickly ran out of the cave as fast as she could yelling, "Help, help something attacked Stacey, please can someone help, I think she's very near death, please." The badger then saw a flash of white jump in the habitat. "What's all this screaming about?" suddenly Maurice and Mort were there, "We heard screaming, what is going on?" they all sat and looked at Becky now sitting on the ground shaking.

Belize walked over to her, "Hey, hey, hey its okay calm down, we are going to help" Belize's voice soothed her a bit, Becky was stable for the time being. While Maurice and Mort ran into the cave and looked around, they didn't find anything but Stacey's lifeless body sitting in the chair.

After Maurice and Mort came out, Belize spun Becky away from the two and they silently told Belize Stacey was dead. Belize nodded "Okay no one was in there, now are you calmed down enough to tell me who you are and what happened?" Becky sighed "I'm Becky and in there is…" She started to cry, "Look everything is going to be fine okay, tell me what happened Becky."

"We were busy doing chores, when I heard my sister yelling to someone at the entrance of the cave, I didn't hear anything." Belize nodded and started to memorize word for word what she was saying and then he pulled up a notepad and wrote everything said down.

"Okay then?" Belize said, Becky looked around and had the image of her sister in the chair and started to freak out a little again, Belize grabbed Becky and started to hug her and patted her back gently trying to calm her down, it was working, Becky stopped her frantic movement.

"There, there, we will figure out who did this, okay?" Becky just gave Belize a tighter grip, Belize sighed "Okay you will be fine, you think you will be fine here by yourself while we take your sister to the vet?" Becky looked around and then stared Belize in the face and shook her head 'No' Belize sighed.

"Okay would you like to stay with someone until we figure out what happened, and ensure that its safe for you to come back?" Becky nodded, then looked at Belize, "Mind if I stay with you?" Belize looked at her a little shocked, but he knew she been through a lot in the short amount of time.

"Okay, I think I can make you something to sleep in, come on." Belize started to make his way to his habitat, but Becky was still wrapped around his waist and she started to cry soaking his torso in tears.

"Okay, stop the crying this fur does not do well when wet." Becky stopped crying but didn't let go of him. "Thank you, now lets go." Belize and Becky left the habitat and made their way to his habitat.

Once Belize and Becky made it to the habitat, Belize jumped onto a tree and climbed up it to the top, grabbed several leaves, once Belize couldn't hold any more he jumped down and started to bundle them up like a bed.

After Belize was finished he walked over to Becky standing around the edge of the habitat "Okay, I made you a bed, it's a little in the forest, but you will be safe there, and the zoo keepers won't wonder why your in here." Becky nodded, "Thank you very much Mr.…" Belize kept his paws over Becky's eyes, "The names Belize." Becky smiled. "Well thanks then, Belize, you are being kind and generous." Belize smiled.

"Yeah I can't let anyone have painful emotions, it hurts me just as much as it hurts them, I know it may seem I'm stone hearted, but I council the victims of any kind of trauma, and people hardly ever get to a sensitive side…" Belize nearly tripped over a rock, he then figured make an accident happen, and see what would happen.

Belize stops for a second, "Hang on a second, is your eye's closed?" Becky nodded, Belize turned the direction of her face away from the bed and removed his hand, he then ran over to the bed and prepared it to catch Becky.

Belize ran back to Becky and covered her eyes again, "Okay sorry about that I ju-" before Belize could finish he acted like he tripped over a rock and he tossed Becky into the bed, Becky screamed for a second thinking she was going to have a hard landing on the ground, but she didn't feel anything, she looked around her and saw the bed was angled to catch her, and she then looked at the path Belize and her were walking and saw no rock.

"Y-you threw me into the bed, "Belize looked a little guilty about it, but Becky got up and grabbed Belize and gave him a kiss, Belize sat there frozen while Becky was kissing him, after five seconds Becky pulled away and laid down in the bed and yawned getting ready to rest.

Belize sat frozen 'She- she kissed me, oh no this is not good, dang it, dang it, dang it.' Belize moved and wiped off his lips, he saw Becky was laying down sleeping, Belize then walked away staring off into space.

**A/N And there it is ( Yes I know I didn't say what happened to Stacey it is coming next chapter, and the romance, eh don't worry, there wont be much in the story I just wanted to have this in here because hardly any of my stories have a cutesy romance scene of much if any sort.) Also the little loose end on Kowalski and Julian again next chapter**

**And yes due to my interest in working on artistic ability updates going to be slow, I am sorry, but these chapters will be better quality then they would have been if I wasn't getting another focus of something. Thanks for the understanding.**

**And Please read my profile, if you review then its required a paragraph explain a little what's good, what needs to be worked on, if you want to send something short and not a paragraph then PM me the little sentences thank you and have a great day/night where ever you live.**


	9. Chapter 9

After Belize got over Becky kissing him, he went back to the habitat and went into the cave, he poked Stacey a couple times, trying not to leave any evidence he was there, where the only ones who knew where Maurice and Mort, but they were the ones inside, and not him, so once he confirmed that she was not alive, he sighed.

He walks over to the pale badger and examines where she was bleeding from and to see if she was still blooding or did it scab over while he was consoling Becky.

After he confirmed she stopped bleeding he picked her up slowly and started to take her to the vets office like he said he would, Mort and Maurice decided they didn't want to stay there and had to make sure everyone else was okay. Belize was near the vet's office when he saw Private slide across the ground heading to the lemur habitat.

Belize laughed a little and then proceeded to get Stacey to the vet letting him confirm that the badger was dead. He gently put her body on the ground in front of the door and started to dust himself off, he then knocked on the door and ran off as fast as he could.

The vet opened the door, "Dang it another di-" he looked down and saw the badger on the ground. "What in the world is going on with this crazy zoo?" He picked her up and took her inside and started to run tests to figure out what happened, along with some examination.

Belize waited until he heard the door shut, he sighed in relief that the vet didn't see him, so he then started to head off to the lemur habitat to check on Maurice and Mort if they are going to be mentally okay…

Private jumped over the wall of the habitat and landed in the bouncy house to soften his landing, and lower the potential of breaking the items he was holding in the bag, he then saw Kowalski with Julian tied up, "Okay now Julian, it is all in your head, the 'Sky Spirits' have no idea that you exist, they don't care you exist, and you need to tune down the excessive celebrations over you little happy moments."

Julian tried to speak, but he had duct tape over his mouth, and wrapped a couple times so he didn't even stand a chance of moving it. "Oh, hey Private, it just seemed that Julian here was just exhaustibly bored and wanted to try to stir something up." Kowalski then pulled up the clipboard, "So to ensure that you don't get bored I suggest you make a cave in your habitat and party in it, so its nice and quiet outside so everyone can sleep in peace."

Kowalski then started to walk off and jumped over the wall waiting for Private, Private just looked at him confused thinking 'What just happened?' Private shook his head and untied Julian then quickly made his escape before Julian could accuse him or complain to him about the not having any parties.

Private saw Mort and Maurice sitting on the wall, Private walked closer and heard they were talking to someone, or each other, he couldn't tell for sure he just heard them two clearly, if any other voice is speaking it was getting drowned out by the natural ambience of New York City.

"Yeah we are fine, I just can't believe that she's dead, I mean really I never seen something like that happen to anyone, she actually looked a little like she militaristically interrogated and then after giving information was killed." Private heard Maurice talking, he was interested in the conversation until he heard that someone was tortured and killed in a short amount of time, and he wanted to know how was it possible.

Private jumped up like he was just leaving the Lemur habitat to go check on a couple of the others in the zoo, and acted shocked he saw Maurice sitting on the wall and Mort in a sulking ball next to the wall.

"Oh 'ey Maurice, Mort, I was just about to go check on the citizens of the zoo, I have not seen any out in some time, and just going to check to make sure they are fine, would you like to come along?" Maurice shook his head no and Mort just went silent, but was still sulking.

"What's the matter guys?" Private said starting to get a bit concerned that maybe what he overheard was more then just a prank to see if anyone was listening to the conversation. Maurice sighed and was about to talk, but he didn't get a chance to before someone else responded.

"Stacey, one of the badgers is dead, and it was horrible to see." Private turned around and saw Belize was standing behind him "Agh, how long were you behind me?" Belize laughed a little, but then his expression turned serious again. "Doesn't matter, I just dropped off Stacey at the vets, any announcement of her death is going to be coming from him." Belize then sighed "I can't tell Becky, but I guess if you want to pull the early-bird information card, by all means go for it, but I doubt she would believe you." Private looked at him confused by what he said.

"What do you mean she wont believe me, I am one of the sweetest and cutest, along with most trustworthy here." Private said dilating his eyes smiling sweetly and got into a position that was very close to him using his special cute power that stuns mostly anyone that sees it, that he hates doing to people, or the other zoo animals.

"Umm well unless you were there while she was at the pivotal moment of what happened, she won't trust anyone that her sister is dead, and well we didn't correct her when she said that Stacey was dying, not long after we confirmed she was dead." Belize then looked around, "So I think it would be best the vet announce it and she overhears the information." Belize shrugged and then shivered a little, then looked down at the ground.

Private noticed this, "Why do you look like your hiding something?" Maurice and Mort then suddenly perked to attention and started to listen in on the conversation between Private and Belize. Belize sighed, "Well I help people feel better when a tragedy happen in their life, well I, she, well I offered as a hint, but wasn't specifically saying she could stay with me, but she asked, it's really hard for me to say no, and when we got back to my habitat…."

Belize then glared at Maurice and Mort and they started to fake whistle looking around the zoo, Belize sighed leaned in closer to Private "She kissed me." Private smiled "Aww, that is cute, but I don't see why that's so bad, I mean she was showing an appreciation of you helping." Belize shook his head, "Ten seconds, full embrace and on the lips, that's a lot more then just a simple appreciation moment for helping in time of need."

Maurice laughed a little and Mort laughed a little along with him, but then stopped for a second, "What are we laughing about, is it a joke? I like jokes." Maurice just leaned over to Mort's ear and told him why he was laughing. Mort awed and then ewes' at the statement.

Belize just slapped his paw to his face and slid it down, tempting to scratch his face off, but resisted the temptation. "So where is Becky?" Belize sighed "At my habitat sleeping, she had an exhausting day of events" Private smiled a little "Would you mind if I tried talking to her?" Belize shrugged, "Honestly, I don't mind, just don't go behind my back and snoop around like I'm a criminal of some sort, just ask me I have nothing to hide." After Belize said that and Private was satisfied, "Okay great Thanks Belize."

After Private left Mort and Maurice made an excuse to make their way away from the scene, and once they left, Belize's eyes started to twitch around, and then he said to him self "Dang why did I say that last little bit of lie with a full out lie?" Belize slapped himself a couple times saying "Stupid, stupid, stupid." Belize then looked around, "I shouldn't have said that I had nothing to hide, nearly everyone has something to hide."

Private was almost to the habitat when he went over the conversation in his head and then he got to the final sentence Belize said 'just ask me, I have nothing to hide.' Private then started to get a slight feeling of paranoia and started to try figuring out what would Skipper do in a situation like this.


End file.
